1975 Billy Connolly: D-I-V-O-R-C-E

A bit of background information is needed here I think - in June of this year, Tammy Wynette had a number 12 hit with 'D-I-V-O-R-C-E'. A typically overwrought country ballad, Wynette and hubby are going their separate ways but they spell out words like 'd-i-v-o-r-c-e' and 'c-u-s-t-o-d-y' when discussing their woes around their four year old son so that he doesn't get wind of what's going on. In other words, a song ripe for spoofing.

In Connolly's take, the little lad is replaced by his "wee scabby dog" and he spells out words like 's-h-o-t', 'w-o-r-m' and 'v-e-t' when he's around so that he doesn't get wind of what's going on either. That's not the whole joke but it's close, and what's left isn't enough to raise this particularly high in the comedy song stakes. Billy Connolly may be a legendary comedian (and as a former member The Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty he knows his way around a song), but just like watching someone walk into a lamp post can raise a schadenfreude of a smile the first time, 'D-I-V-O-R-C-E' is not something that gets any funnier with repetition, particularly as the song tails away as the joke wears thin. If you know the Wynette track then it's amusing enough, but those that don't will be left scratching their heads.